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Dogs Trust shares ongoing struggles of COVID-19
A still from the video advert which encourages people to seek help if they can no longer care for their pet.

Heart-breaking recordings reveal the pain of owners having to give up their dog in lockdown.

Dogs Trust has released heart-breaking recordings of real phone calls from owners having to give up their dogs because of COVID-19.

The recordings form part of the charity's Change the Tale campaign, which encourages owners to seek help if they are struggling to care for their dog in the fallout from the pandemic. 

It comes as figures released by Dogs Trust show there has been a 41 per cent rise in web traffic to its 'Giving up your Dog' page over the last six months. 

In one recording, a woman shares the pain of giving up her dog having lost her job and home. Other callers cite the burden of house evictions, increased working hours and financial difficulties.

Dogs Trust is sharing the recordings via radio and video adverts (see below) highlighting the ongoing struggles of the pandemic. The adverts encourage people to Change the Tale for dogs affected by COVID-19 and seek help if they can no longer care for their pet.

Dogs Trust chief executive, Owen Sharp, commented: “We know that the pandemic and its economic repercussions will have devastating effects on some people’s lives and their ability to care for their pets.

"When people take on the responsibilities of dog ownership, they do so with the best intentions to care for them long-term. But as the calls to Dogs Trust show, in these extraordinary times, circumstances can change in a heartbeat, leaving owners with incredibly tough decisions to make."

Dogs Trust provides support for owners without a home and offers a unique fostering service for owners experiencing domestic abuse. It has produced online videos helping owners tackle behaviours resulting from lockdown, such as separation anxiety. 

The charity also offers the Canine Care Card, which guarantees that if an owner passes away or becomes unwell, their dog will be cared for by Dogs Trust.

Mr Sharp added: “It is heart-breaking to hear someone having to choose between a roof over their head or their dog, and we’d like to thank the people who made these calls for allowing us to share their story and for coming to us in their time of need.

"Unfortunately, we believe the worst is yet to come and we expect many more calls like this as the pandemic fallout continues - and we will do all we can to help those in need of our support.”

If you or someone you know are struggling and need advice on giving up your dog, or if you would like to donate to Dogs Trust, visit dogstrust.org.uk

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.